Weft end controller for weft replenishing looms



0. V. PAYNE Jan. 26, 1932.

WEFT END CONTROLLER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Aug. 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l [NI/ENTUR 75041? 1/. PAYNE A77C7FrA/EY5 Jan. 26, 1932. o, v, PAYNE 1,842,731

WEFT END CONTROLLER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Aug. 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 G)? H (De,

jNl/ENTDFP 0504/? MP4 Y/VE 0. V. PAYNE Jan. 26, 1932.

WEFT END CONTROLLER FOR WEFT HEPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Aug. 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 w: an

J/v l/EN 717/? 0554/? L/PA YNE WM A flaw/vars Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OQ'CAR "V. PAYNE, F "WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CBOMP'I'ON & KNOWLES LOOK WORKS, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION 01' MASSACHUSETTS WIEF'I END BONTROLLER FOR WEFI REPLENISHING LOOMS Application filed August as, 1930. Serlal- No. 478,429.

This invention relates to devices for controlling the weft ends of reserve bobbins in "weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide an imti proved device of this type which will be driven by an efficient actuator and hold the weft ends taut without subjecting them to suthcient strain to break them.

In multicolor weft replenishing looms the W reserve bobbins are held in a plurality of stacks and have their weft ends attached in one way or another to a so-called thread holder. At the time of transfer the weft end is held so that as the shuttle is picked its eye it is partially threaded. It is found that as bobbins await transfer they tend to rotate on their axes due to vibration of the loom, resulting in slackness of certain weft ends and tightness of others. The slack threads are likely to fall into the path of the lay and become broken so that the shuttle will not be threaded at the time of transfer. It is an important object of my present invention to make use of the vibration which rolls the bobbinsto keep the weft ends taut.

During operation of an automatic loom the outer part of the magazine frame is observed to vibratm due probably to the motions of the lay and picking mechanism. In most looms the crank arms from the crank shaft do not lie in the plane of the loomsides and there is as a result of this construction a slight hori zontal bending of the loom frame in the direction of movement of the lay. The picking, on the other hand, subjects the loomsldes to vibrations in a vertical direction. It is an important object of my present invention to' actuate a travelling weft end engaging surface by a vibration motor having a weighted mass suspended to respond to the vibrations of the loom and operatively connected to the surface through some transn'iitting agent move vertically. The weight is preferably mounted so as to move in a direction perpendicular to the lay, and is free to respond to the weighted mass so that the rate ofrevolution of the revolving parts may be altered depending upon the character of goods being woven.

. The usual magazine has an outside plate for the tips of the bobbins and it is a further object of my invention to support the movmg parts of my improved thread contmller in such a way that the device itself will assist in the vibration of movement of the weighted mass, preferably by having the support which attaches the device to the magazine plate connected at one side of the center of gravity of the device.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a pair ofltravelling surfaces which are driven so as to require the weft ends to follow a tortuous path but which at no time have direct engagement with each other or are so related as to pinch the weft ends between the two surfaces. In this way the weft ends are subjected to a slight; combing action which does not distribute the fibers of the threads or abrade them with resultant break age. The device described herein is capable of straightening out one slack thread which may be part of a group of threads the remainder of which are all substantially straight. Such a condition might result at the time of transfer when the bobbin drops from its cradle to supports. As a result of combing action referred to, the weft ends may be dropped between the travelling surfaces without requiring the wrapping or winding which is usual in the ordinary form of thread holder.

In the preferred form of my invention I use two conical gear shaped devices having parallel axes and with the small ends remote from the weft magazine so. as to provide a notch into which the weft. ends may be dropped. In this connection it is another object of my invention to provide a guard which can be moved with respect to the notch in a direction parallel to the axes so that when relatively fine yarns are being woven they will be permitted tofall into the full de thof the notch, whereas when coarse yarn is ing woven the guard will be moved to permitthem to be engaged by a smaller part of the revolving devices so that the take-up will 'be correspondingly less. In this connection it will be noted that the circumference of the rotating parts is decreased at the same time that the crimping or tortuous deformations of the weft ends'is lessened.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and an rangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. v

In the accompanying drawings, wherein three forms of my invention are set forth- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a loom having the preferred form of my improved thread controller attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation taken in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a view of the structure shown in Fig. 3 but from the opposite side and with the cover plate removed; 1

Fig. 5 is a verticalsection on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the first modification;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 8, Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the second modification Fig. 10 is a front elevation taken in the direction of arrow 10, Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the shuttle and holder.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown loomsides 20 having an arch 21, and a multicolor magazine designated generally at M supportedby a foot 22 secured to the front post of the loomside. The lay L swings back and forth in the loom and is driven by connectors 23 between the loomsides, and attached to a crank shaft 24 extending across the loom parallel to the lay. A picker. stick P may be actuated by any mechanism designated at 25 herein and the loom may be provided with harnesses H which may be raised and lowered by any approved mechanism not shown herein, such, for instance, as the Knowles Head, a dobby or cams.

As shown in Fig. 2 the magazine projects beyond the adjacent loomside and-is connected to the arch by brace 26. The magazine is arranged to. support a number of resenk bobbins which have their tips extended out-' wardly andfrom which project weft ends W. The bobbins lie loosely stacked in guideways and descend by gravity toward transfer position.

The lay swings as usual by power transmitted from the crank shaft through the connectors and the latter will ordinarily lie between the loomsides. As the lay reaches the mid-position in its rearward stroke the picking motion will come into action to propel the shuttle across. the loom. The harnesses operate as usual to define the shed lines and these three mechanisms, together with other motions not set forth herein, contribute to the vibrational disturbance which is characteristic of all looms and causes the magazine to vibrate slightly while the loom is in motion. The movements of the magazine are probably the resultants of several different vibrations, but in the three forms of the invention set forthhereinafter I make use of the horizontal vibrational force which is substantially perpendicular to the .lay.

Secured to the magazine is a downwardly and outwardly extending holder 40 to which is clamped a box-like structure or casing 41 having an outer web 42 with an integral inwvardly projecting deep flange 43 across the which the shafts are caused to rotate in uni-- pawl 53. The latter moves with a. weighted mass 54 suspended at its ends by two tempered steel spring links 55. The upper ends .of the links are attached to the flange 43 byscrews 56 and the lowerends are connected to the cylinder by means of screws 57. The

pawl is normally pressed upwardly'against the teeth 52 by its own resilience and is preferably secured in position by one of the screws 57, as shown in Fig. 4. A stop screw 58 extends through the flange to engage one of the screws 57 and may be held in adjusted position by a lock nut 59.

The outer part of the flange 43 is provided with a bearing surfabeGO which receives the foot 6i of the arm 40, said foot beinglocatved to one side of .the center of gravity of the casing and parts carried thereby. This latter relation is'thought to aid the operation of the device, although I do not believe it 'to be essential.

A nut 73 on the reduced end 49 of one of stationary, with the spring links eitherunder no strains, or at least those which are balanced. i IS the loom starts to run the magazine and casing will move slightly in one direction due to vibration. The inertia of the weight resists this motion, thereby placing the spring suspension links under stralns which tend to cause the weight to follow the casing. The weight thereupon starts to move in the same direction as the casing, but prescntly the latter starts to move in the reversedirection. The momentum of the weight con: tinues its movement, however, straining the spring links in the opposite direction. They overcome the momentum and start the Weight to move back in the opposite direction. At about this time the casing again reverses its motion, and the effects already described take place in the opposite direction. This actlon continues during loom operation, lagging behind the movements of the casing. Alternate movements of the weight cause the pawl to ac- I tuate the ratchet wheel and shafts, while the intervening motions are idle. The amount of movement of the pawl and shafts is deter mined by the position of stop screw 58 which may be regulated according to the loom speed or yarn used.

The parts located in the casing constitute in effect a vibration motor to revolve the shafts 45, and may be the same in all threeforms of Weft end engaging travelling devices or surfaces to be set forth hereinafter.

J6 rolls, to assume different In the preferred form of the invention each shaft has an outwardly extending cylindri cal part 62 on which is mounted a tapered fluted roll 63 having a notch 64 to receive a driving pin 65 extending through and secured to the shaft. The right hand ends of the shafts as viewed in Fig. 5 are threaded and carry nuts 66 which hold the rollers 63 in engagement with the pins 65.

it weft end guard 67 has a pair of spaced parallel arms 68 which extend into the flange and may be secured therein by a. screw 69. The arms 68 are parallel to the shafts and are of sufficient length to permit the guard, which extends transversely over the fluted positions with respect to the latter.

An important relation exists between the flutes or teeth 70 and the slots 71 between them, as shown in Fig. 3. These slots are larger than the teeth and the teeth of one roll do not have drivin relation with the teeth of the other roll, at Ezast, no weft thread engaging part of either roller ever has engagement with the other. As shown in Fi 6 a notch 7 2 is defined between the two rolI ers and it is into this notch that the threads W from the bobbin are dropped when new bobbins are being added to the magazine.

As the shafts rotate as previously described the pins will drive the fluted rollers so that the teeth of one will enter the grooves 71 of the other -without contacting with the teeth of said other and the weft ends will therefore be subjected to a frictional downward force exerted by the teeth without being pinched between the teeth. By having the gears 50 frictionally held to the shafts, a slight turning of one of the fluted rollers on its own shaft may be produced in order to effect the correctrelation between the teeth and slots of the rollers.

In the first modification of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8 I employ an arm 80 similar to arm 40 and provide a casing 81 equipped with a vibration motor substan' t-ially similar to those already described to rotate a pair of shafts 82 similar-to shafts 45. Fluted rollers 83 are mounted on and rotate with the shafts 82 and have teeth 84 which enter but do not touch the sides of slots 85. In this instance I provide an ex tension from the housing 81 in the form of a notched or scalloped guard 86 by which the Weft ends W may be guided. The scalloped edge lies above the notch between the two rolls so that each individual thread if desired may be subjected to the combing action of the-.teeth Without being surrounded by other threads.

In this modification of the invention the weft ends may, if desired, be thrown loosely into the notch between the rolls, rotation of the latter due to vibration of the loom in time straightening out the weft ends and holding them taut.

In the second modification shown inFigs. 9 and 10 shafts 90 corresponding to shafts 45 of the preferred form carry driving sprockets 91 each of which has thereon an endless belt 92, the lower end of which is guided around a guide sprocket 93. The belts are provided with deflectors 94 which as shown in Fig. 9 are alternately offset so that the weft engaging part of the deflectors on the right hand belt will lie to the left of a vertical line lying centrally between the axes 90, whereas the corresponding parts of the deflectors on the left belt will lie to the right of such a line. In this way a tortuous or zigzag path is provided for the weft, the ends being dropped loosely into the spaces above the vertical portions of the belt and being engaged by the deflectors as they move in the direction of arrow A, Fig. 9. In this form of the invention a greater amount of strain can be placed Illtl on the threads depending upon the len th of the belts and also'the number of 'de ectors which are in engagement with the weft ends at any one time.

The loom operates with a shuttle S which may be of any approved form and as shown in Fig. 11 may have an eye E and a bobbin chamber 1'00 which in the case of silk shuttles will be lined with fur designated at 101. any case there will be some resistance offered to the unwinding of weft on the pick following-transfer, even though the shuttle be not completely threaded, and it is important to note that the frictional strain exerted by the fluted rolls on the weft end will ordinaril exceed the resistance offered to the unwin ing of the freshly transferred bobbin by whatever form of tension device is present in the shuttle. In other words, at the time of picking after transfer there are two frictional devices acting upon the weft and extending from the bobbin, one, either of the forms of the thread controller set forth herein, and the other the shuttle tension, and the tension exercised by the thread controller must exceed that offered by the shuttle.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simple actuator for a thread controller dependent for its operation upon loom vibration, a suspended mass being responsive to movements of a support which in turn oscillates freely under a vibration. Also, the weft-ends are subjected to a gentle frictional force which holds them taut without danger of breakage. The conical threadrollers and guard afford ready means for varying the amount of take-up by altering' the effective roll diameter andfthe degree .of bending. Again, the frictional drive of the rollers permits manual adjustments to insure proper relation between the teeth and slots. Furthermore, a notch or scalloped edge may be used to separate the weft ends, although this is not necessary. Where a greater tension is needed belts with deflectors may be employed.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a thread controller having a'moving surface to engage and keep taut the weft ends and actuated by free loom vibration.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a travelling surface to engage the weft ends and actuated by free loom vibration.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends,

'a moving surface to engage and straighten the weft, ends, said surface being actuated by free loom vibration.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, movable devices toengage and straighten the weft ends, and a vibration motor operatively connected to said devices to move the same and dependent for its motive power on loom vibration. v

5. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a vibration motor supported by and deriving its operating force from the vibration of the loom, and means actuated by the motor to keep the weft ends taut.

6. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a vibration motor including a suspended weighted mass capable of limited movement induced by vibration of the loom, and a device actuated by the motor to keep the weft ends taut.

'7. In a weft replenishing loom having re serve bobbins from which extend weft ends,

a vibration motor having a weighted mass movable in a horizontal direction and deriving movement from the vibration of the loom, and means actuated by the motor to keep the Weft ends taut.

.8. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a lay, a vibration motor having a weighted mass movable in a horizontal direction pcrpendicular to the lay and deriving movement from the vibration of the loom, and means actuated by the motor to keep the weft ends taut.

9. I11 a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a lay movable back and forth in the loom, a vibration motor having a weight movable in a direction transverse of the lay, and means operated by the motor to keep the weft ends taut.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a support fixed with respect to the loom but vibrating freely therewith, and means carried by the support and operated by free vibration of the loom to keep the weft ends taut.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends,

a support fixed with respect to the loom but some point other than the center of gravity of said means.

12. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends,

a vibration motor including a weight suspended for movement relative to the loom and dependentfor its movement upon vibratil] till

bill

with

tion of the loom, means operatively connected to the motor to keep the weft ends taut, and means to vary the extent of movement which the vibration of the 100111 is able to induce in'the weight.

13. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a vibration motor including a weight movable relatively to the loom, means operatively connected to the motor to keep the weft ends taut, and means to vary the amplitude of movement of the weight due to vibration of the loom.

14. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of travelling surfaces which intersect the path of movement of each other but do not contact with each other to engage the weft ends, and means dependent upon opera tion of the loom to move said surfaces.

15. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, means defining a pair of travelling surfaces portions of which engage the weft ends, said surfaces during their movement each intersect-ing the path of the other but at no time having contact with the other, and means dependent upon the operation of the loom to move said surfaces.

lb. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends,

a pair of substantially similar devices to engage the weft ends and bend the same to establish frictional contact therewith, each device having the weft engaging portions thereof out of engagement with the weft engaging portions of the other device, and means dependent upon the operation of the loom to move said surfaces.

17. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of substantially similar devices which co-act with the weft ends with which they contact to cause said weft ends to pass through a tortuous path, those portions of the devices which engage the weft ends at all times being out of contact with each other, and means dependent upon operation of the loom to move said device.

18. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of devices each having a plurality of portions to engage the weft ends, the portions of one device moving in a path which intersects the path of movement of the portions of the other device, said portions at all times being out of engagement with each other and engaging the weft ends to give the same a tortuous form and exert a tension on the same to keep them taut, and means dependent upon operation of the loom to move the portions of one device relatively to the other in a direction to straighten the weft ends.

19. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends,

a pair of devices each having a plurality of portions to engage the weft ends, the portions of one device moving in a path which intersects the path of movement of the portions of the other device, said portions at all times being out of engagement with each other and engaging the weft ends to give the same a tortuous form and exert a tension on the same to keep them taut, and means operat-ive while the loom is in operation to move said portions in a direction to straighten the weft ends.

20. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of travelling surfaces which intersect the path of movement of each other but do not contact with each other to engage the weft ends, and means operative while the loom is in operation to move said portions in a direction to straighten the weft ends.

21. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of fluted tapered rolls having weft engaging portions which are out of engagement with each other but which co-act with the weft to give the latter a tortuous form and move in a direction to straighten the weft end, and means operative while the loom is in operation to move said rolls in a direction to straighten the Weft ends.

22. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from' which extend weft ends, a pair of fluted tapered rolls having weft engaging portions which are out of engagement with each other but which co-act with the weft to give the latter a tortuous form and move in a direction to straighten the weft ends, the small ends of the rolls defining a. notch into which the weft ends may be placed, and means operative while the loom is in operation to move said rolls in a direction to straighten the weft ends.

23. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of fluted tapered rolls having weft engaging portions which are out of engagement with each other but which co-act with the weft to give the latter a tortuous form and move in a direction to straighten the weft ends, and a guard movable in the direction of the length of the rolls to engage the weft ends and determine that portion of the rolls which are to be operatively related to the weft ends.

24. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of fluted tapered rolls having weft engaging portions which are out of engage ment with each other but which co-act with the weft to give the latter a tortuous form and move in a direction to straighten the weft ends, the small ends of the rolls defining a notch into which the weft ends may be placed, and a guard capable of assuming a plurality of positions between the notch and the large ends of the rolls to determine which portions of the rolls shall be in operative relation with respect to the wefts.

25. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of oppositely rotating tapered fluted rolls moving about substantially parallel axes, and a normally stationary thread engaging guard movable in a direction parallel to the axes to assume any one of a plurality of positions relatively to the rolls to determine which portions of the rolls shall be engaged by the weft ends, and means operative while the loom is in operation to rotate said rolls.

26. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of oppositely rotatable fluted rolls having their axes transverse of the lay, means to rotate said rolls while the loom is in operation, said rolls being out of contact with each other and co-acting with the weft ends to cause the latter to move through a tortu ous path and tend to straighten the same.

27. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of oppositely rotatable fluted rolls having their axes transverse of the lay, means to rotate said rolls While the loom is in operation, said rolls being out of contact with each other and co-acting with the weft ends to cause the latter to move through a tortuous path and tend to straighten the same, and a notched guide to separate the threads in a direction along the length of the rolls.

28. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend Weft ends, a pair of travelling belts movable in opposite directions, means operative while the loom is in operation to move said belts, and deflectors on each belt, the deflectors of one belt cooperating with those of the other belt to engage and dispose the weft ends in a tortuous path and to straighten the same between the deflectors and the reserve bobbins, the deflectors of one belt being at all times ouf, of contact with the deflectors of the other be t.

29. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a pair of sets of moving deflectors each movable in a path independent of the other but intersecting the path of movement of the other, said deflectors moving in a substantially straight line during a portion of their travel to engage the weft ends and exert a relatively high tension thereon and cause the same to assume a tortuous form and exerting on said weft ends a force tending to straighten the same between the deflectors and the reserve bobbins.

30. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a shuttle to receive one of 55 the reserve bobbins and having tensioning means to resist unwindin of weft from the reserve bobbin therein t e first pick after transfer, a pair of non-engaging devices coacting with the weft end of the bobbin in the shuttle to cause the same to assume a tortuous path and frictionally engaging said weft end to exert thereon a tension greater than that exerted by the tensioning means in the shuttle.

31. In a weft replenishing loom having a plurality of reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a shuttle to receive one of the reserve bobbins and having tensioning means to resist unwinding of weft from the reserve bobbin therein the first pick after transfer, a pair of tapered fluted rolls to engage the weft endof the bobbin in the shuttle and cause the same to assume a tortuous path to resist movement thereof in a direction toward the shuttle, and a guard capable of assuming a plurality of positions with respect to the length of the rolls to vary the degree of tortuous bending of the weft and also the diameter of those portions of the roll which engage said weft, said guard being placed to cause the tension exerted on the weft ends by the rollers to exceed that exerted by the tensioning means in the shuttle.

In a loom, a plurality of reserve bobbins which as they await transfer tend to rotate on their axes under the vibrational influence of the loom and unwind their weft ends, and means actuated by free vibration of the loom to hold said weft ends taut.

33. In a weft replenishing loom, a reserve supply of weft which tends due to vibration of the loom to unwind and len then the weft ends extending from the supp y, and means actuated by free vibration of the loom to take-up the slack in the weft ends caused by the unwinding.

34. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine for reserve bobbins subject to slight vibration during loom operation resulting in rolling of the bobbins to unwind their weft ends, and a weft end slack take-up device dependent for its operation upon vibration of the magazine.

35. In a weft replenishing loom having a group of reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, an element to have contact with the weft ends and movable in a direction to hold the ends taut, a weighted mass operatively connected to the element and capable when moved to cause movement of the element, and a movable support for the mass yieldingly connected to the latter, the support when vibrated causing a movement of the mass to move the element.

36. In a weft replenishing loom having a group of reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, an element to have contact with the weft ends and movable in a direction to hold the ends taut, a weight operatively related to the element, a support for the weight till tit] eubject to slight vibrational movement, and yielding connections between the Weight and support to cause the "Weight to respond to movement of the support to effect movement oi the element.

St. In a Weft replenishing loom having a group of reserve bobbins from which extend Wet't ends, an element to have contact with the "Weft ends, and movable in a direction to hold the ends taut, a weighted mass operativel v connected to the element and capable when moved to cause movement of the element and a movable support for the mass effective when vibrated to cause movement of the mass to move the element.

lln testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

OSCAR V. PAYNE. 

